Employing a Live-In Carer Directly: Benefits vs Risks
Please note Carers at Home are not legal advisors or HR professionals and are publishing this article based on its experiences and experiences of its clients.
As families seek more personalised care solutions for loved ones, hiring a live-in carer directly—without going through an agency—can seem appealing. It offers flexibility and potential cost savings, but it also comes with legal, financial, and practical responsibilities that are often underestimated. In this article, we explore the key benefits and risks to help you make an informed decision.
Benefits of Direct Employment
1. Cost Savings
One of the main reasons families choose to hire directly is the potential for lower costs. Agencies typically charge fees to cover recruitment, administration, and overheads. By negotiating directly with a carer, families can often agree on a more affordable rate. However, it’s crucial to understand that even if a carer presents themselves as self-employed, HMRC may still classify you as their employer—bringing with it a host of legal obligations. Click here to see up to date live in care fees.
2. Tailored and Personalised Care
Direct employment allows families to select a carer who closely matches their loved one’s personality, preferences, and care needs. This can lead to a more harmonious relationship and better continuity of care. However, it’s worth noting that care agencies like Carers at Home often provide highly experienced staff who are trained to deliver high-quality care, especially in complex or specialist situations. Choosing an agency can offer peace of mind that the carer has been thoroughly vetted and professionally supported.
3. Control and Flexibility
Families have full control over the terms of employment, including working hours, duties, and holiday arrangements. This flexibility can be invaluable when care needs evolve. But with this control comes responsibility. If you are deemed the carer’s employer, you must:
- Register with HMRC
- Pay income tax and National Insurance contributions
- Provide holiday pay and sick leave
- Ensure health & safety compliance in the home
- Hold Employers’ Liability Insurance
- Manage redundancy if the carer is no longer required
These obligations can be complex and time-consuming, especially for those unfamiliar with employment law.
Risks and Responsibilities
1. You May Be an Employer—Even If You Think You’re Not
Many families assume that if a carer says they are self-employed, they are not responsible for employment obligations. But HMRC may view the relationship differently. If the carer works regular hours, lives in your home, and is under your direction, you could be classed as their employer. This means you’re responsible for:
- Paying holiday entitlement
- Providing sick pay
- Managing redundancy
- Ensuring health & safety compliance
- Holding Employers’ Liability Insurance
- Registering to pay their income tax and National Insurance
Failing to meet these obligations can result in fines or legal action.
2. No Backup When the Carer Takes Leave
Agencies typically offer replacement carers when someone is ill or on holiday. If you employ a carer directly, you’ll need to plan for their time off. This includes arranging temporary cover, which can be stressful and costly—especially if care needs are urgent or complex. Without a backup plan, your loved one may be left without essential support. Carers at Home’s live-in care service includes contingency planning to ensure uninterrupted care.
3. Recruitment and Vetting
Without agency support, families must handle recruitment themselves. This includes advertising, interviewing, checking references, and conducting DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks. Ensuring the carer has the legal right to work in the UK is also essential. Mistakes in this process can lead to unsuitable hires or legal issues.
4. Legal and Financial Risk
Being an employer means taking on legal and financial responsibilities. You’ll need to manage contracts, grievance procedures, and potentially disciplinary actions. You must also ensure the carer’s working environment complies with health and safety standards, which can be complex in a domestic setting.
Making an Informed Decision
Hiring a live-in carer directly can offer a high level of personalisation and cost efficiency, but it’s not without its challenges. Families must be prepared to take on the full scope of employer responsibilities, including legal compliance, insurance, and contingency planning.
Before proceeding, it’s wise to seek professional advice—particularly around employment law and tax obligations. You may also want to use a payroll service or employment support platform to help manage the administrative side.
Ultimately, the decision should be based on your loved one’s care needs, your capacity to manage the employment relationship, and your ability to plan for contingencies like holidays and illness. For some, the control and consistency of direct employment are worth the effort. For others, the support, experience, and reliability of an agency like Carers at Home may offer greater peace of mind.
For more information visit:
Carers at Home
https://www.carersathome.com
01483 899 350
37/38 Bridge Street, Godalming, Surrey
Carers at Home was established in 2007 to provide home care in Godalming and the surrounding areas, Carers at Home is a care agency now specialising in providing home care in Surrey and Hampshire and live in care across the south of England including Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Wiltshire.
Carers at Home care agency provides assistance to people allowing them to remain living at home. Clients are given the extra help they need in maintaining their everyday life.
Carers at Home’s experienced and well trained staff offer home care, live-in care and companionship which allows people to live a normal and happy life in the comfort of their own home.
Carers at Home’s home care and live-in care services promote independence. It’s at home where quality of life is enhanced without the stress of interrupting routines and changes in daily habits. Companionship is as important as health care, helping to enable clients to remain independent
The most common CQC regulated home care and live-in services Carers at Home provides for clients include help with getting up and/or going to bed, washing, bathing/showering, meal preparation and diet monitoring. For many clients we will prompt or administer their prescribed medication.
Other non-medical services include; light housework, cooking, laundry, shopping and errands. It’s often the little things in life that some of our clients miss and need the most however.
Companionship and human interaction are among our most important duties. Just chatting or reading to a client helps them not to feel isolated from everything that’s going on around them.
Carers at Home provides CQC regulated home care and live-in care and support services to seniors, people with disabilities or special needs, people coping at home after hospitalisation or illness, or anyone requiring help in the home.
Home care services can be arranged for a few hours a week or everyday, sometimes four times a day. Short term respite relief or longer term care is available seven days a week or live-in care, including public holidays.
• Senior Citizens
• People with disabilities
• People with special needs
• Patients recovering from a hospital visit
• Patients recovering from an illness
• Anyone requiring help in the home
• A few hours a week
• A few days a week
• Seven days a week
• Several times a day
• Short term
• Long term
• Bank holiday
To learn more visit www.carersathome.com or call Carers at Home Godalming on 01483 899 350 of Carers at Home Odiham on 01276 748 270
For more information on live in care company contact us anytime.
